Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander says the launch of a new immigration system that would offer 'express entry' to skilled immigrants looking to come to Canada as permanent residents is 'a top priority' for his department. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The Canadian government is reforming the immigration system to offer "express entry" to skilled immigrants who want to come here as permanent residents, as a way to fill open jobs where there are no available Canadian workers.

The government says express entry will do what the Temporary Foreign Worker Program can't: it will ensure that skilled immigrants are able to settle in Canada permanently to help meet the country's labour needs.

Immigration Minister Chris Alexander told a committee of MPs this week that express entry is "the top priority" for his department.

"It's the new system for delivering all of our economic programs starting on Jan. 1, 2015," Alexander said on Wednesday.

Express entry could be offered to skilled immigrants who have put in an application through the federal skilled worker program (FSWP), the federal skilled trades program (FSTP), the Canadian experience class (CEC), and a portion of the provincial nominee program.

In preparation for the launch of the new immigration system, the government began accepting 25,000 applications under the federal skilled worker program​ on May 1, 2014, up from 5,000 applications it accepted the year before. It also more than doubled the number of professions skilled immigrants can apply for.

Canada is actively recruiting skilled immigrants for the federal skilled worker program​ in the following 50 occupations, which the government says reflect the latest labour market needs:

0013 Senior managers — financial, communications and other business services.